Are you quick to blame yourself – even for things you didn’t do or couldn’t control? When things go wrong, is your immediate response “it’s all my fault” or “I shouldn’t have done that”? For many of us, self-blame and criticism are insidious. We’re unrelenting with our demands and expectations and we’re our own […]
What is overthinking? Do you spend countless hours rehashing mistakes you made? Do you worry about what others think of you? Do you struggle to make decisions — and get caught up in excessive researching in an effort to make the right decision? This is overthinking — a form of uncontrollable worry or rumination. It […]
Perfectionists suck at self-care. We’re much more concerned with goals and accomplishments than with our own wellbeing. Sometimes, we’re so busy that we don’t even realize that our drive to please people, avoid criticism, and prove we’re “good enough” is destroying our mental and physical health. Are You a Perfectionist? Perfectionists have impossibly high […]
Experiencing emotional abandonment in childhood can make us feel anxious, distrustful, ashamed, and inadequate – and these feelings often follow us into adulthood and make it difficult for us to form healthy, trusting relationships. What is emotional abandonment? Emotional abandonment means that someone important, someone you are counting on, isn’t there for you […]
Pressure to be perfect So many of us feel intense pressures to achieve more, do more, and be more. We live in a technology-driven society that never stops. We’re constantly bombarded with the “my life is perfect” messages found on social media. It’s no wonder that so many of us are self-critical perfectionists who […]
Perfectionism isn’t always about trying to be perfect. Learn about six hidden signs of perfectionism. Are you a perfectionist? The answer might not be as obvious as you think. When we think of perfectionists, we tend to think of people like Jo, Darren, and Pamela. Jo keeps an immaculate home. It looks more like a […]
Moms, you deserve to reclaim Mother’s Day and make it a day that truly makes you happy. Mother’s Day is often filled with angst and guilt and conflict. Mothers are particularly good at taking care of everyone else, wanting to please people, keep the peace, and simply putting themselves last. And some Moms have […]
Why do you feel unworthy? So many of us feel unworthy. We feel like we’re not good enough, like we don’t fit in, and like we don’t matter. We’re overly self-critical, fixating on our flaws and failures. We think we need to be perfect and successful in order to have value. For years we’ve […]
Introducing 5 New Holiday Tip Sheets from Psychotherapist and Codependency Expert Sharon Martin, LCSW Are you dreading the holidays because of difficult people in your life? Do you tend to get stressed, sad, or overwhelmed during December? Do you want to set a positive tone for the holiday season? Would it be helpful to keep […]
I’m often asked what the difference is between perfectionism and OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder). It’s actually a fairly complex question and one that realistically this article will only be able to address on the surface. This article isn’t meant to diagnose any mental conditions and isn’t an exhaustive study of OCD or any other […]